Penn State to host ice hockey doubleheader at Beaver Stadium

For the first time ever, ice hockey is headed to Beaver Stadium. In January, Penn State will host a doubleheader inside its football stadium featuring a pair of marquee matchups, athletic director Pat Kraft announced Friday.

On Jan. 31, Penn State men’s ice hockey will host Michigan State in Big Ten action, while Penn State women’s ice hockey will face off with Robert Morris in an AHA matchup. Additional information, including game times and tickets, will be announced this fall.

“This is a historic moment for Penn State Hockey, our fans and the entire Penn State community,” Kraft said in a news release. “To bring the excitement of college hockey to Beaver Stadium is truly special. Having our men’s program face a premier Big Ten opponent in Michigan State and our women’s program face Robert Morris on this stage reflects the incredible growth and national profile of Penn State Hockey and provides an unforgettable experience for our student-athletes, alumni and fans. We can’t wait to see Hockey Valley come alive in Beaver Stadium.”

The addition of the Beaver Stadium matchup against two-time defending Big Ten champion Michigan State to the schedule adds even more excitement to a Penn State men’s hockey season that is arguably the most anticipated in the program’s short varsity history.

The Nittany Lions are coming off their first Frozen Four appearance, and they return the bulk of their offense from last year’s team, including junior Aiden Fink, a second-team All-American and Hobey Baker top-10 finalist.

Penn State also made a splash this offseason with the signing of phenom Gavin McKenna, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Nittany Lions also added a number of other key pieces that should contribute this winter.

“Our team and so many Penn Staters are extremely excited about this game in Beaver Stadium,” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said in a statement. “It has been consistently asked of me since I arrived at Penn State, and I want to send thanks to Coach [James] Franklin for sharing his home with us, as well as Dr. Pat Kraft, Vinnie James, and the entire Penn State Athletics Department for making it happen. We can’t wait to take the field!” 

Penn State played an outdoor game against Notre Dame at Wrigley Field last January.

The Penn State women’s hockey team is coming off a season in which it set a program record with 31 wins and won a third straight conference title. The Nittany Lions also made the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Senior Tessa Janecke, a second-team All-American and AHA Player of the Year, returns to lead Penn State this winter.

“We want to thank Dr. Kraft for continuing to expand the goal posts, or in this case eliminate them, so we can have an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium,” coach Jeff Kampersal said in a news release. “This opportunity is momentous and historical for Penn State Hockey. Considering all the legendary moments the men in black shoes and basic blues have created on this turf, WE ARE looking forward to creating some of our own and making Penn State proud. Thank you, Pat!”

The Penn State men open the 2025-26 season at Arizona State on Friday, Oct. 3, while the women begin the season against St. Lawrence at Pegula Ice Arena on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Beaver Stadium is currently undergoing a $700 million doubleheader that features the construction of a new structure on the west side of the stadium. The framework is in place and there is temporary seating atop the new construction for the 2025 football season. Capacity for this fall will be 106,304. Construction will continue during football season and the plan is for the renovation to be completed by the 2027 season.

Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for Lions247 and 247Sports. He can be reached at daniel.gallen@cbsinteractive.com. Follow Daniel on X at @danieljtgallen, Instagram at @bydanieljtgallen and Bluesky at @danieljtgallen.bsky.social.